In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: F e b ru ary 2

, 2 0 1 5

S 1 4 A1 4 0 6 . THOMP S ON e t a l. v . BLACKWELL, e t a l.

MELTON, Ju stic e

.

Th is a p p e a l in v o lv e s th e p ro p e r in te rp re ta tio n o f a will e x e c u te d b y Ho d g e

Kin g (“ Mr. Kin g ” ) th a t a

pp e a re d to le a v e c e rta in re a l p ro p e rty to his wife

, Ha ttie

Kin g (“ Mrs. Kin g ” ), in fe e s i mp le

, b u t th a t a lso a p p e a re d to le a v e th is sa m e

p ro p e rty to M r. Kin g’s so n a n d h is so n’s c h ild re n u p o n Mrs. Kin g’s d e a th

. Afte r

Mrs. Kin g d ie d

, th e e xe c u to rs o f h e r e sta te be c a m e in v o lv e d in a le ga l d isp u te

with Mr. Kin g ’s g ra nd c h ild re n re g a rd in g w h e th e r Mrs. Kin g ’s e sta te own e d th e

p ro p e rty in q u e stio n in fe e sim p le o r wh e th e r Mr. K in g’s gra nd c h ild re n h e ld a n y

le g a l in te re st in th e p ro p e rty

. Th e tria l c o urt ru le d in fa v o r o f Mrs. Kin g ’s e sta te

a n d a sse sse d a tto rn e y fe e s a g a in st Mr

. Kin g ’s g ra n d c h ild re n

, p ro m ptin g th is

a p p e a l. F o r th e re a so n s th a t fo llo w, we re v e rse

.

Du rin g M r. K in g ’s life tim e

, h e a n d Mrs. Kin g jo in tly o wn e d fo u r tra c ts o f

re a l pro p e rty a s te n a n ts in c o m m o n in Tu rn e r Co u n ty , Ge o rg ia . Mr. Kin g d ie d

in 1 9 9 9

, p urp o rtin g to le a v e M rs. K in g a ll o f his in te re st in th is p ro p e rty in fe esim

p le , a c c o rd in g to Ite m

II o f h is will:

I g iv e

, d e v ise a nd be q u e a th to my wife

, Ha ttie F

. Kin g

, a ll my

p ro p e rty

, b o th re a l a

n d p e rso na l, w h e re v e r l o c a t e d a n d w h e n e v e r

a c q u ire d

, e ith e r be fo re o r a fte r th e m a k in g o f th is m y Will, h e rs in

F e e S im p le

.

Ho we ve r, in th e v e ry n e xt I t e m o f h is will, Ite m III, Mr. Kin g a lso sta te d th a t,

u p o n h is wife ’s d e a th

, a ll o f h is in te re st in th e fo u r tra c ts o f p ro p e rty w o u ld b e

d e v ise d to h is so n

, Th e o d o re Ro o se v e l t Th o m p so n (“ T h o m

p so n” ), a n d a n y

c h ild re n o f Th o m

p so n b orn in la wfu l we d lo c k : 1

Up o n th e d e a th o f my sa id wife

, a ll o f th e a b o v e d e sc rib e d p ro pe rty

re m a in in g a t su c h tim e

, I g iv e

, d e vise an d b e q u e a th to m y so n

, Th e o d o re Ro o se v e lt Th o m p so n

, p re se n tly re sid in g in Orla nd o

, F lo rid a

, a n d to h is c h ild re n b o rn in la wfu l we d lo c k

. S h o u ld o n e o r

m o re of my so n’s c hild re n d ie

, th e n th e su rv iv in g c h ild o r c h ild re n

sh a ll b e e n title d to th a t sh a re o f su c h d e c e a se d c h ild

.

Mrs. Kin g d ie d in 2 0 1 2

, le a v in g h e r o w n will a n d a p po in tin g he r n ie c e s,

Na k a m u ra Je n k in s a n d Ele a no r Bla c k we ll (“ Je n k in s a n d Bla c k we ll” ) a s c o

e x e c u trix e s, h e irs, a n d b e n e fic ia rie s o f h e r e sta te

. In th is will, sh e p u rp o rte d to

d e v ise o ne o f th e fo u r tra c ts o f re a l p ro p e rty to Th o m p so n in fe e sim

p le

, a n d th e

re m a in d e r o f th e e sta te to Je n k in s a n d Bla c kwe ll. Ho we ve r, b e c a u se th e re wa s

1 Th o m p so n h a d fo u r d a

u g h te rs w h o m e t t h i s re q u ire m e n t: F a y e tte

Th o m pso n , Dia n e Th o m p so n , Ro sa My le s, a n d Ja c q u e lin e Bra g g, wh o a re th e

Ap p e lla n ts h e re

.

2a p o te n tia l c o nflic t b e t w e e n Ite m s II a nd III o f Mr. Kin g ’s will, in th a t Ite m II

a lle g e dly ga v e Mrs. Kin g a fe e sim ple in te re st in a l l o f th e p ro p e rty th a t Mr.

Kin g h a d o wn e d a s a te na n t in c o m m on with h e r a n d Ite m III on ly g ra n te d Mrs.

Kin g a life e sta t e in Mr. Kin g ’s in te re st in th is sa m e pro p e rty (with sp e c ific

in stru c ti o n s re g a rd in g h o w Mr. Kin g ’s in te re st in th e p ro p e rty wo u ld b e

c o n v e y e d u po n Mrs. K in g’s d e a th ), a q u e stio n re m a in e d a s to wh e th e r Mrs.

Kin g h a d th e a

u th o rity to c o n v e y th e p ro p e rty in th e m a n n e r th a t sh e h a d

o u tlin e d in h e r will.

Je n k in s a n d Bla c k we ll d id n o t le a rn a b o u t th e p o te n tia l c lo u d o n th e title

o f th e fo u r tra c ts o f re a l p ro p e rty c re a te d b y Ite m s II a n d III o f Mr. Kin g ’s will

u n til th e y trie d to se ll th e pro p e rty th a t th e y th o u g ht th a t th e y o wn e d to a th ird

p a rty

. Wh e n Je n k in s a n d Bla c k we ll re a liz e d th e p ro b le m

, th e y c o n ta c te d

Th o m pso n a n d h is da u g h te rs a n d o ffe re d to se tt l e w i t h t h e m th ro ug h th e q u it

c la im o f Je n k in s’ a n d Bla c k we ll’s c la im e d in te re st in two tra c ts o f th e p ro p e rty

if T h o m p so n a n d h is d a

u g h te rs wo u ld q u i t c la im th e ir a lle g e d in te re st in o n e

tra c t to Je n k in s a n d Bla c k we ll.

Th o m p so n sig n e d th e firs t d ra ft o f th e pro p o se d se ttle m e n t, b u t h is

d a u g h te rs re fu se d to sig n. Afte r re pe a te d re qu e sts a n d de m a n d s b y Je n k in s a n d

3Bla c k w e ll fo r Th o m p so n ’s d a u g h te rs to e x e c u te a q uit c la im d e e d

, th e d a u g h te rs

still re fu se d

. Je n k in s a n d Bla c k we ll file d a “ P e titio n to Re m o v e Clo u d fro m

Title a n d to E sta b lish Title Ag a in st All th e Wo rld ” in th e S u p e rio r Co u rt o f

Tu rn e r Co u n t y

, a n d a S p e c ia l Ma ste r wa s a ssig n e d to a dd re ss th e m a tte r o n

F e b ru a ry 1 2 , 2 01 3

.

Th e S p e c ia l Ma ste r p re se n te d his re po rt to th e su pe rio r c ou rt a t a Ma y 6

,

2 0 1 3 h e a rin g

, a n d th e tria l c o u rt a d o p te d th e re p ort, c o n c lu d in g th a t th e c o n flic t

b e twe e n Ite m s II a

n d III of Mr. K in g’s will c re a te d a c lo u d o n t h e t itle to th e

fo u r tra c ts o f re a l p ro pe rty

. He a lso c o n c lu d e d th a t th e c lo ud sh o uld b e re m o v e d

to m a k e Mrs. Kin g ’s e sta te th e e x c lu siv e o w n e r o f a ll fo u r tra c ts o f re a l p ro p e rty

in fe e sim p le b a se d o n Mr. Kin g h a v in g de v ise d h i s i n te re st in th e p ro p e rty to

Mrs. Kin g in fe e sim

p le

.

Th e tria l c o u rt a lso a wa rd e d a tto rn e y fe e s a n d c o sts t o J e n k in s a n d

Bla c k w e ll p u rsu a n t to OCGA § 9 -1 5 -1 4 b a se d o n Th om p so n ’s d a

u g h te rs

a lle g e dly ha vin g “ u nn e c e ssa rily e x p an d e d th e p ro c e e d in g s” a fte r h a v in g b e e n

“ g iv e n re a so n a

b le o p p o rtu n ity to r es o lv e th is m a tte r” by se ttlin g with Je n k in s

a n d Bla c k w e ll. Th o m

p so n file d a Mo tio n fo r Re c o n sid e ra tio n on th e tria l c o u rt’s

o rd e r of a tto rn e y fe e s a nd Th o m p so n ’s d a u g h te rs file d a Mo tio n fo r Ne w Tria l,

4b o th o f wh ic h we re d e n ie d o n F e b ru a ry 4

, 2 0 1 4 a fte r a h e a rin g. Th o m p so n ’s

d a u g h te rs a p p e a l p ro se

. 2

1

. Th e p rim a ry issu e to b e de te rm in e d in th is a p p e a l is wh e th e r Mr. Kin g

in te nd e d to c o n ve y a fe e sim p le e sta te to Mrs. K in g th ro u g h h is w ill, o r wh e th e r

h e in te n d e d to c o n v e y o n ly a life e sta te to h e r w ith th e re m a in d e r to be g iv e n to

h is so n a n d g ra n d c h ild re n

. In o rd e r to re so lv e th is issu e

, we m u st a sc e rta in Mr.

K i n g ’ s in te n t a s te sta to r “ b y lo o k in g to ‘[th e ] fo u r c o rn e rs’ [o f h is will] a n d

g iv in g c o n sid e ra tio n to a ll o f its p a rts.” (Cita tio n s o m itte d .) L e wis v

. Mitc h e ll,

2 1 6 Ga

. 5 2 6

, 5 2 7 (1 1 7 S E2 d 9 01 ) (1 9 6 1 ). We m u st a l so b e a r in m in d th a t,

“ wh e re p ro p e rty is d e v ise d in la n g u a ge su ffic ie n t to p a ss a fe e -sim p le e sta te

, th e

d e v ise sh o u ld n o t b e h e l d t o c o n v e y a le sse r e sta te u n less it is c le ar fro m a

su b se q u e n t p ro v isio n o

f th e w i l l th a t su c h wa s th e in te n tio n o f th e te sta to r .”

(Cita tio n o m itte d ; e m

p h a sis su p p lie d ). Wa tts v

. F i n l e y

, 1 8 7 Ga

. 6 2 9 (1 S E2 d

7 2 3 ) (1 93 9 ); Am m o n s v

. Willia m s, 2 3 3 Ga . 5 3 4 , 5 36 -5 3 7 (1 ) (2 1 2 S E2 d 7 6 9 )

(1 9 7 5 ). S e e a lso

, e .g

., Va

u g h n v

. Ho wa rd

, 7 5 Ga

. 2 8 5 (1 8 85 ) (wh e re Ite m II o f

2 To th e e x te n t th a t Th o m ps o n ’ s d a u g h te rs’ p ro se a rg u m e n ts a re n o t

g e rm a n e to th e c e n tra l issu e s in th is c a se

– sp e c ific a lly

, wh e th e r th e tria l c o urt

e rre d in its re so lu tio n o f th e c on flic t be twe e n Ite m s II a n d III o f M r. Kin g ’s will

a n d in its a wa rd o f a tto rn e y fe e s to Je n k in s an d Bla c k we ll

– th o s e a rg u m e n ts

will n o t b e a d d re sse d h e re

.

5will g a v e te sta to r’s w ife la n d s fo r life “ in fe e sim ple ” a n d Ite m IV of will g a v e

sa m e la n d s to te sta to r’s so n a nd th re e d a u g h te rs, it wa s te sta to r’s c le a r in te n t to

g iv e wife l i f

e e sta te with re m a in d e r to h is c h ild re n ). He re

, a s e xp la in e d m o re

fu lly b e lo w, b a se d o n th e pla in la n g u a g e o f Ite m s II a n d III o f Mr. Kin g ’s will,

a n d b a se d o n o u r c o n tro llin g p re c e d e nt with re sp e c t to th e ty p e o f la n g u a g e u se d

in h is will, we m

u st h o ld th a t it wa s Mr. Kin g ’s c le ar in te ntio n to c o n ve y a life

e sta te in h is pro p e rty to Mrs. Kin g with th e re m a in d e r to b e g iv e n to h is so n a n d

g ra n dc h ild re n

.

As a n in itia l m a tte r, th e l a n g u a g e o f Ite m II o f Mr. Kin g ’s will wa s

su ffic ie n t to c o n v e y a fe e sim p le in te re st to Mrs. Kin g in Mr. Kin g ’s p ro p e rty

.

S e e

, e

. g

., Wa tts, su p ra ; Va u g h n , su p ra . Ho we v e r, “ th e in te n tio n o f th e te sta to r

is to b e so u g h t by lo o k in g to th e wh o le will ra th e r th a n to d e ta c h e d pa rts o f it

.

. . . [a n d ] [t] h e q u e stio n is wh e th e r th e re m a in in g p ro v isio n s o f th e will d isc lo se

a n in te ntio n to d e v ise a le sse r e sta te .” Wa tts, su p ra

, 1 8 7 G a

. a t 6 3 3

- 6 34

. In th is

re g a rd

, a s Mr. Kin g sta te d in th e v e ry n e x t Ite m o f h is will:

Up o n th e d

e a th o f my sa id w ife

, a ll o f th e a b o v e d e sc rib e d p ro pe rty

re m a in in g a t su c h tim e

, I g iv e

, d e vise an d b e q u e a th to m y so n

, Th e o d o re Ro o se v e lt Th o m p so n

, p re se n tly re sid in g in Orla nd o

, F lo rid a

, a n d to h is c h ild re n b o rn in la w fu l we d lo c k

. S h ou ld o n e o r

m o re of my so n’s c hild re n d ie

, th e n th e su rv iv in g c h ild o r c h ild re n

6sh a ll b e e n title d to th a t sh a re o f su c h d e c e a se d c h ild

.

(Em p h a sis su pp lie d ). R e a d in g Ite m s II a n d III to g e th e r, it b e c o m e s c le a r th a t, “ in

lo o k in g a t th e wh o le will, it w a s th e in te n tio n o f th e te sta to r to g iv e h is wife a

life e sta te in a ll his la n d s m e n tio n e d [in Ite m II]

, re m a in de r a t th e d e a t h o f h is

wife to h is [so n a n d ] [g ra nd ] c h ild re n

, su c h p arts o f sa id la n d a s h e a llo tte d to

e a c h

. . . to v e st in th e m a nd be e n jo y e d b y [th e m ] u

p o n th e d e a th o f th e wid o w .”

(Em p h a sis su p p lie d .) Va

ug h n

, su p ra

, 7 5 G a

. a t 28 6

- 2 8 7

. In d e e d

, b e c a u se Mr.

Kin g sp e c ific a lly sta te d h o w th e p ro p e rty in q u e stio n wo uld b e d e v ise d “ u p o n

th e d e a th ” o f h is wife

,

[t] h is c a se is to be distin g u ish e d fro m th ose c a se s wh e re in th e will

p r o v i d e d t h a t "in c a se o f" o r "in th e e v e n t o f" th e d e a th o f th e first

d e v ise e

, th e p ro p e rty sh o u ld g o to an o th e r. It sh o u ld a lso b e d istin g u ish e d

fro m th o se c a se s wh e re a n e sta te is d e v ise d an d it is p ro v id e d th a t

"sh o u ld " th e d e v ise e d ie

, or "sh o u ld " th e de v ise e d ie "with o u t c h ild re n ,"

e tc

., th e p ro pe rty is to v e st in a n o th e r. [Cits.] In th e se c a se s d e a th wa s

re fe rre d to a s a n u n c e rta in e v e n t; an d th e la w fa v orin g th e first ta k e r a n d

th e v e stin g o f e sta te s, it wa s h e ld th a t su c h w o rd s re fe rre d to th e d e a th o f

th e d e v ise e b e fo re th e d e a th o f th e te sta to r.

Wa tts, su p ra

, 18 7 Ga

. a t 6 3 5

. Ho we v e r, in th e in sta n t c a se

, th e te sta to r m a d e use

o f th e wo rd “ u p o n ,” “ wh ic h i s a n a d v e rb o f tim e

, a nd n o t of c o n tin g e n c y ; a n d

it c a n n o t b e sa i d t h a t [ h e ] m e a nt th a t a t th e de a th o f [Mrs. Kin g ] b e fo re th e

d e a th o f th e te sta t[o r] ‘I b e q u e a th th e p ro pe rty to [m y so n a n d g ra n d c h ild re n ] .’”

7Id

.

Be c a

u se th e p la in la n g u a g e o f Mr. Kin g ’s w ill in d ic a te s th a t h e in te n d e d

to g ra n t M rs. Kin g a life e sta te in h is p ro p e rty with th e re m a in de r to be g iv e n to

h is so n a n d g ra n dc h ild re n

, th e tria l c ou rt e rre d in c o n c lu din g th a t Mrs. Kin g ’s

e sta te a c q u ire d Mr. Kin g ’s in te re st a s a te n a n t i n c o m m on in th e fo u r tra c ts o f

la n d in fe e sim

ple

.

2

. Be c a u se

, a s sh o wn in Div isio n 1

, th e tria l c o urt e rre d b y ru lin g in fa v o r

o f Je n k in s a n d Bla c k we ll ra th e r th an Th o m p so n ’s d a u g hte rs, th e tria l c o u rt a lso

e rre d b y a wa rd in g a tto rn e y fe e s to Je n kin s an d Bla c kwe ll p u rsu an t to OCGA §

9 -1 5 -1 4

. In d e e d, th e re is n o b a sis fo r th e tria l c o u rt’s c o n c lu sio n th a t th e

d a u gh te rs “ u n n e c e ssa rily e x p a n d e d th e p ro c e e d in gs” b y fa ilin g to se ttle with

Je n k in s an d Bla c k w e ll a fte r h a v in g b e e n “ giv e n re a so n a b le o p p o rtu n ity ” to d o

so

, a s Th o m

p so n’s d a u g h te rs we re u n d e r n o o b lig a tio n to se ttle w ith Je n k in s a n d

Bla c k w e ll. Ag a in

, Je n k in s a n d Bla c kwe ll h a d n o c la im to Mr. K in g’s in te re st in

th e pro p e rty b e q u e a th e d to Th o m p so n a n d h is d a

u g h te rs. Ac c o rd in g ly

, w e m u st

a lso re v e rse th e tria l c o u rt’s a wa rd o f a tto rn e y fe e s to Je n k in s a n d Bla c k we ll.

Ju d g m e n t re ve rse d . All th e Ju stic e s c o nc u r.

8